There is one thing that all humans have to do but there are some key differences between each country and its culture. If you’re ever going to travel or are just curious about other cultures’ norms then this is the blog for you! We’ll be taking a look at a couple of different countries and their bathroom etiquette. Some may be similar while others are completely different.

China Bathroom Etiquette

The website Teach House, which is certified by Cambridge University has a blog about the different Chinese customs and etiquette. Gold, who wrote the blog, talks about all the different areas of their culture. The most interesting point he makes is when he is talking about their bathroom etiquette.

Their public toilets are very different from Western toilets. In China, they are called squatters. As you can see in the picture, it is simply a porcelain hole in the ground. It is like a toilet bowl built into the floor instead of above it. Fun fact: there is rarely toilet paper provided, so most Chinese people always carry tissue paper with them. So, if you ever visit you should too. Also, there is almost no soap, but most Chinese don’t use soap anyway as stated by Gold.

European Bathroom Etiquette

If you ever visit London, Paris, and/or Amsterdam here are some key things you

need to know about their bathroom etiquette. On the website Travel + Leisure, it states some pretty strange things you should know when heading to these European cities. It is common to pay to use public restrooms, even if they appear to be free. So, always assume. If there is no cost to enter, there is likely a cost for toilet paper or a top dish for the bathroom attendant.


Quick tip if you ever travel there: sometimes attendants will put big bills in the tip jars to confuse tourists, but don’t worry. A small tip equivalent to between $0.50 and $1.00 is sufficient as brought up by Travel + Leisure. Also, be sure to use local currency.

Bathroom Etiquette in Britain

According to DailyMail.com, there are some differences in bathroom etiquette specifically in Britain. First, it is only a bathroom if it has a bath in it and it is not called a restroom either because you hardly go there for a rest. So, it is called either the lavatory or the ‘loo’. Both of those terms are acceptable and used by those from stronger social backgrounds or those who ‘get it, as stated in DailyMail.com. Lavatory rolls (Toilet Paper) should fall over and never under. Houses with loo roll deliberately positioned to roll under are often those where hosts want guests to useless in the interests of frugality.

Sources: Teach House, Travel + Leisure, and DailyMail.com.

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